LAKE ELSINORE 
Sharply hit balls flew all over the field and over fences of The Diamond on Sunday. Unfortunately for the Storm, the majority went to the Modesto Nuts in an 11-5 victory in the teams’ series finale.

Modesto and Lake Elsinore combined for 26 hits and nine extra-base hits, including five that left the park.

“Lots of hitters taking advantage of good pitches to drive,” Storm manager Shawn Wooten said, when asked to assess the situation. “But that means a lot of pitching mistakes, and we made more than they did.”

Storm third baseman Duanel Jones had the day’s first big blast, launching a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fourth off Modesto (22-27) starter Daniel Winkler, giving Lake Elsinore (15-33) a 2-1 lead.

Winkler (6-2) earned the win and was effective with his off-speed pitches, as he pitched into the sixth inning and yielded just the two runs.

Storm starter Brandon Alger (0-6) did not fare as well. Alger gave up a three-run home run to Modesto’s Trevor Story that not only put the Nuts in the lead for good, but began the tide of Modesto offense.

After Alger gave up a single to Juan Crousset, Storm reliever Matt Branham came in from the pen.

Then the real fireworks began.

Branham got through the sixth without giving up another run but ran into trouble in the seventh.

David Kandilas led off the top of the seventh with a line-drive double off the wall to left. Tim Smalling then smacked another hard-hit double to left, plating Kandilas.

Brian Humphries followed with a two-run homer off Branham. Two hitters later, Harold Riggins crushed a home run well over the 425-foot sign in left center. Branham struck out the next two batters, but the damage was done.

The Nuts added three more in the top of the ninth, including back-to-back home runs from Ryan Casteel and Riggins off Storm reliever Justin Miller to build their lead to 11-2.

Lake Elsinore scored three in the bottom of the ninth, highlighted by a long double to center from Yeison Asencio that scored Travis Jankowski and Cory Spangenberg.

It was the second straight loss for the Storm, which had gotten a lift with a recent three-game winning streak after losing 10 of 12 previously.